Spicy Greek turkey pie

With all the cooking leading up to Thanksgiving, I’m always grateful for leftovers. Unlike a lot of cooks, however, I don’t like serving the same lukewarm meal the next day.

I prefer my Thanksgiving leftovers in a new format. After all that rich food I’m ready for something a little perkier. This year I’ve developed a mashed potato-topped turkey pie with Greek flavorings – warm cinnamon, feisty oregano – with cranberries standing in for the more usual raisins.

Don’t worry if there aren’t enough leftover mashed potatoes. You can sub a 24-ounce package of refrigerated mashed potatoes, only slightly less than 3 cups called for in the recipe. And if you’re in a festive mood, drag tines of a fork over the mashed potatoes to create a decorative pattern.

Don’t wait until next Thanksgiving to make the dish again. Use cooked poultry for a quick supper any time of year.

Another selling point: you can cook and bake this dish in an ovenproof skillet.

Spicy Greek Turkey Pie

Serves 8

3 tablespoons olive oil
 1 large eggplant, cut into a medium dice (scant 4 cups)
 1 large onion, cut into medium dice
 3 large garlic cloves, minced
 2 teaspoons each ground cinnamon and dried oregano
 Salt and ground black pepper
 2 tablespoons flour
 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
 3/4 cup dried cranberries
 4 cups cooked turkey, shredded into bite-size piece
 1 egg yolk
 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes, lukewarm

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; sauté until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onions; continue to sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper; sauté until fragrant, about a minute longer. Sprinkle in flour and then stir in broth to make a light sauce. Stir in cranberries and then turkey; continue to cook until heated through.

Beat yolk into warm mashed potatoes.  Use a spatula to spread mashed potato over turkey mixture. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Leaving casserole on the same rack turn on broiler and cook until nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Related post: Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake Galette